Rs 570 crore seized in poll-bound Tamil Nadu is prima facie suspect cash': EC

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday said Rs 570 crore, seized from three containers in Tamil Nadu two days ahead of assembly polls there, is "prima facie suspect cash" as no agency or organisation has come forward to claim it.

All agencies, including the Income Tax Department, have been asked to ensure a proper investigation, an Election Commission official said here.

Read: Tamil Nadu assembly polls: Cash seizure goes over Rs 100 crore

"Prima facie it is suspect cash as no agency or organisation has come forward to claim it," the official said here, adding the poll panel is keeping a close watch on the development.

Earlier in the day, electoral officials in Tamil Nadu seized about Rs 570 crore from three containers during checking in Tirupur district, which the occupants of the vehicles claimed was for inter-bank money transfer.

Read: Rs 570 crore seized from 3 containers by election officials in Tamil Nadu

Officials said the personnel accompanying the containers told them that they were transferring Rs 570 crore from State Bank of India in Coimbatore to Vishakhapatnam branches but did not have all the necessary documents and efforts were on to ascertain the veracity of their claim.

The flying squad of the election department, along with paramilitary forces, seized the cash early this morning during a routine vehicle check on Perumanallur-Kunnathur bypass. Polling for Tamil Nadu assembly election will take place on May 16.

Meanwhile, an Erode report said electoral officials seized Rs 1 lakh from the house of a grocery merchant today.

District officials said, based on a tip-off, the Expenditure Observer, Basker Rao Ennaty along with Erode East Constituency Returning Officer Murugesan and a team of Income Tax sleuths raided the house of Mohan Kumar at Kallikadaimedu, Erode and found Rs 1 lakh cash in his house.

Mohan Kumar confessed that he had hoarded the money meant for distribution to voters. The officials seized the amount and further probe is on.